UB last night talking about running out of fuel one time on the Rubicon, wanted to start a thread about requirements and storing of this stuff.

Water
I am planning to have about 15 gallons (plus a misc Nalgene liter bottle here and there) of water on board. My thinking is to top off Tuesday night at the camp. We tend to average around one gallon per day each for all uses, so I'm calling it a total of 2 gallons/day when I figure in filling the Solar Shower each morning. My estimate of max need would be most of Wednesday on stored water, 3 full days and Sunday morning for coffee. So for the two of us, 10 gallons should be sufficient and so I'm guess on a 5 gallon reserve.

I run 2.5 and 5 gallon water jugs that get stored inside the truck. I top off smaller Nalgenes each morning for drinking during the day. We have this part set, no problems.

Fuel
Fuel, that is not quite as clear to me. I assume our last real chance to fill up the fuel tanks would be around Lake Tahoe, Placerville or Auburn (along I-80). Not sure of the route from Reno to Robbs Valley Resort, but they all seem to be about 60 miles. If there is a gas station along US50, that obviously changes things.

I have a 19 gallon fuel tank, which gets me about 250 miles by the odometer in regular mixed 4x4 driving (i.e., leave the house, pavement and dirt roads, few hours of trail time and back to pavement). Translation to remote travel is harder to say since I only have a handful of chances to measure it in hours. I use about 12 gallons for the White Rim (160 miles over 16 hours for ~0.75 gallons per hour), about 8 gallons for Toroweap (130 miles over 4 hrs for ~0.5 gallons per hour) and Elephant Hill is a one tank trip.

So I'm figuring 60 miles from fuel station to Tuesday camp will be about 3.5 gallons, Wednesday morning to trailhead is another 0.5 gallons. That leaves me about 15 gallons to true empty in the tank. Figuring 16 hours on trail to Rubicon Springs and another 1.5 hours to get out at 1 gal/hr, I'm short by at least 2.5 gallons. So I'm planning on bringing along a 20L fuel can. Is the feeling that 24 gallons of fuel is pretty typical? I know the FJ40 guys will have a much different measure, since their tank is slightly smaller (about 16 gallons IIRC, right?) and they'll be less fuel efficient on the leg getting from the Interstate to the trail head. But my thinking is if a FJ40 can do the trip in a tank + 1 can, then that should be a safe assumption for me.

The biggest problem for me is that I don't have anywhere to store extra fuel easily. Normally I put on a roof rack and carry the jerry cans on top, but that is not a good option here. I'm already going to press my luck with the WilderNest and I don't want to tempt the Cruiser Gods by running a roof rack... So I'm probably gonna stash the can inside the bed and put it in the tank either Wednesday or Thursday evening.

You can get gas at Ice House resort but it is EXTREMELY expensive. I doubt you will run out unless you over feed the squirrels!

I guess what I'm trying to judge is the need for an extra jerry can or not, too. If we top off just off I-80 and then splash in a couple of gallons at Ice House, then we would be good to go. I'd really rather not carry that extra 5 gallon gas can.

I guess what I'm trying to judge is the need for an extra jerry can or not, too. If we top off just off I-80 and then splash in a couple of gallons at Ice House, then we would be good to go. I'd really rather not carry that extra 5 gallon gas can.

We (I) will top off in Lake Tahoe, then if you want to make sure you're to the brim add a couple gallons at IH.

I know the FJ Cruisers use about 2/3 tank to get into the springs (about 12 gallons), then we have done about 4 hrs of ride and drives and top off with 5 gallens to get out. That is what we have used the last two years. We have toped off at ice house as well before we left. Hope this helps, now the german's 4/runner with the 1kzt only used about 1/4 tank to the springs and not much more on the way out. Anyhow it is all how much you idle the truck inbetween the obisticals and how much you wait for broken truck and slow vechicles on the trail. Having a extra 5 gallons never hurts, but that said, there is usually some around to ask for at the springs if needed(and some people do ask for it to get out). The first year, I had my 80 with all it fuel capacity (69 gallons) topped off at Ice house, I supplied 4 fjs with fuel and me (there stock tanks) and two days of ride and drives on the fuel and we were not on fume, but close( so 4x17= 68 gallons and 69 gallons = 137 gallons for 5 truck = 27 gallons each) funny math but you may get the point. Last year each Fj used about 22 gallons with only 4 hours of ride and drive to get throught the trail. Good luck on the choice.
As for water, even though I want to only have a gallon a day for each day, I used more like 1 and 3/4 to 2 gallons/day water for all the walking and stuff I did. Getting out and spotting and working the trail. And I wanted more at time. So that said, it is high mountain, with a very dry climate that can suck the moisture out of you. Think about what you want and add some more for just in case(iho).
I remember wheeling the first year with the 80 with full fuel tanks, almost 40 gallons water, a rear diff for the Fj and 2 CV shafts and extra food and gear for the crew. That was one heavy beast on the trail. It was a great experence to see what a 80 could do with all that weight.
Good luck with the choices. later Robbie

I know the FJ Cruisers use about 2/3 tank to get into the springs (about 12 gallons), then we have done about 4 hrs of ride and drives and top off with 5 gallens to get out. That is what we have used the last two years. We have toped off at ice house as well before we left. Hope this helps, now the german's 4/runner with the 1kzt only used about 1/4 tank to the springs and not much more on the way out. Anyhow it is all how much you idle the truck inbetween the obisticals and how much you wait for broken truck and slow vechicles on the trail. Having a extra 5 gallons never hurts, but that said, there is usually some around to ask for at the springs if needed(and some people do ask for it to get out). The first year, I had my 80 with all it fuel capacity (69 gallons) topped off at Ice house, I supplied 4 fjs with fuel and me (there stock tanks) and two days of ride and drives on the fuel and we were not on fume, but close( so 4x17= 68 gallons and 69 gallons = 137 gallons for 5 truck = 27 gallons each) funny math but you may get the point. Last year each Fj used about 22 gallons with only 4 hours of ride and drive to get throught the trail. Good luck on the choice.
As for water, even though I want to only have a gallon a day for each day, I used more like 1 and 3/4 to 2 gallons/day water for all the walking and stuff I did. Getting out and spotting and working the trail. And I wanted more at time. So that said, it is high mountain, with a very dry climate that can suck the moisture out of you. Think about what you want and add some more for just in case(iho).
I remember wheeling the first year with the 80 with full fuel tanks, almost 40 gallons water, a rear diff for the Fj and 2 CV shafts and extra food and gear for the crew. That was one heavy beast on the trail. It was a great experence to see what a 80 could do with all that weight.
Good luck with the choices. later Robbie

As far as water goes, are there places where you can use a hand pump filter to get water? From your experience would this be a feasible way of at least supplementing ones water supply, or are the locations from which to pump water to few and far between?

My question too - can we bring a backpacking water filter and pump water?

Absolutely! We will pass Loon Lake, Spider Lake, Buck Island Lake and camped in Rubicon Springs which has "springs" and the headwaters of the Rubicon river. Water (and skeeters) are a plenty if you can purify it!